Fewer Meath people have discretionary medical cards

Meath people have less discretionary medical cards than any other county in Ireland, according to figures obtained by Deputy Peadar Tóibín.
In response to a parliamentary question he learned that Meath people have significantly less medical cards than the average and are proportionally at the bottom of the discretionary medical card list in the whole state.
Only 35per cent of Meath people have medical cards. This compares with 54per cent in Donegal and 49per cent in Louth.
When it comes to discretionary medical cards, Meath is at the bottom of the list with just over one per cent of the population holding discretionary cards.
He said the awarding of discretionary medical cards was in many cases completely uneven across the country with little logic to it at all.
“When it comes to medical cards, investment into roads, IDA investment, child services, women’s services and many many entitlements, Meath comes consistently at the bottom of the ladder.
“This is not by accident. It is due to historically weak representation at council level and weak representation at national level. This cannot go on. Our health, our livelihoods and opportunities for our children depend on Meath people getting their fair share,” he said.